Consumer ReportsConsumer Reports

The southern staple are versatile, delicious, and healthy.

By Marisa Moore.

Black-eyed peas are not peas at all, but beans. Black-eyed peas have many benefits, like all beans.

A Brief History of Black-Eyed Peas

Cowpeas, goat peas, lubia, and akkerboon are some of the names of black-eyed peas. They are native to West Africa, where they are still a major crop. According to Cordialis Msora Kasago, MA, RDN, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and founder of The African Pot Nutrition, the legumes add nitrogen to the soil to help other plants thrive. Black-eyed peas were introduced to the U.S. by enslaved people of African descent.

Black-eyed peas are usually served on New Year's Day in the American South. Adrian Miller is the author of "Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine." He says that the beans symbolize coins and are often used with greens.

Black-eyed peas became associated with good luck in the new year because there are peas in a pot. On December 31, 1862, enslaved Africans ate cowpeas and rice as they waited for news about the Emancipation Proclamation.

Black-Eyed Peas Nutrition

Black-eyed peas are an affordable source of plant-based nutrition and an excellent source of fiber, which helps you feel full longer and plays a role in heart health and keeping blood sugar under control. A cup of cooked black-eyed peas has almost 40 percent of the daily value listed on food labels to represent how much a person should consume if they eat 2,000 calories a day.

Black-eyed peas are an excellent source of magnesium, which plays a role in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including energy production, muscle and nerve function, blood sugar control, and blood pressure management. There is research linking higher magnesium intakes with a lower risk of stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Black-eyed peas provide 20 percent of the daily value for zinc and 23 percent of the daily value for iron, making them an especially good source of iron for people who don't eat it. A cup of coffee provides 88 percent of the daily value for the B vitamins, which can help protect against birth defects of the brain and spine, and anyone who is or plans to become pregnant can benefit from that. You get 50 percent of the daily value for copper, a trace mineral that is important for red blood cell production and a number of other functions.

Research shows that when you eat beans regularly, your body will adapt and you will experience less gas and bloating over time. Black-eyed peas are the perfect type to start with when you want to add beans to your diet. In one small study, 50 percent of people reported having these symptoms after eating pinto beans or baked beans made with navy beans, but only 19 percent did when they ate black-eyed peas.

How to Cook Black-Eyed Peas

As they cook, black-eyed peas have a creamy texture. You can find them fresh, frozen, or canned.

It is optional to soak dried black-eyed peas overnight. It helps boost iron and zinc absorption from the beans because soaking helps reduce phytic acid, a naturally present substance in beans that bind to certain minerals, making them more difficult for the body to absorb.

Black-eyed peas are typically stewed in a pot with some type of smoked meat, garlic, onions, and red pepper. It's tradition to use small amounts of meat for seasoning to deliver that authentic, signature smoky flavor you expect from a pot of beans. For a vegan dish with a similar flavor, swap the meat for a rich vegetable stock and add a pinch of smoked salt. Adding stewed tomatoes will give it a different flavor. Hoppin John is a one-pot black-eyed peas and rice dish that is traditionally served on New Year's Day.

Black-eyed peas are only limited by your imagination and taste. Adding black-eyed peas to a pot of rice with a little coconut milk is a delicious way to make a pea and rice dish.

If you want to make a green salad with black-eyed peas, you can use an olive oil vinaigrette. Black-eyed peas are a good base to use in a vegetarian burger recipe, or you can use ground beef or lamb. To make a burger, use 2 parts meat to 1 part cooked mashed beans. For meatballs made with a binder, use 1 part meat to 1 part beans.

Best Multi-Cookers and Slow Cookers From Consumer Reports' Tests

Black-eyed peas can be cooked in a multi-cooker or slow cooker. Here are the top performers from CR's tests.

The Breville Fast Slow Pro is 6 quarts. BPR700BSS

ZSELL02 is the Zavor LUX LCD.

Black+Decker Digital has a temperature probe.

The Hamilton Beach Temp Tracker is 6 quarts.

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